Iowa 80 Thanks Senator Ernst for RFS Leadership

Delia Moon Meier, owner and senior vice president of the Iowa 80 truckstop, recently applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its recent decision to reject proposals to change the current compliance structure under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as well as thanked Iowa Senator Joni Ernst for helping to lead that effort.

In a letter published in the Des Moines Register, Moon Meier said the RFS is important to Iowa and enables fuel retailers, including Iowa 80, to incorporate cleaner burning fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol into the fuel supply, lowering prices at the pump and helping create jobs in the state.

“I applaud Sen. Ernst for helping push the EPA to make the right decision to reject certain refiners’ request to change the point of obligation,” Moon Meier wrote. “It is important for all Iowans to know that Sen. Ernst's strong support early and often throughout this debate has helped many businesses like mine create and keep jobs in Iowa.”

EPA on Nov. 22 rejected proposals to change the current compliance structure under the RFS, ending a major push by merchant refiners and other obligated parties to shift what is commonly known as the point of obligation from refiners and importers to “rack sellers.”

Under current law, fuel refiners and importers are obligated to acquire "RINs" to demonstrate compliance under the RFS. A small segment of the refining industry has been pushing EPA to shift this obligation downstream to fuel marketers and blenders, including many NATSO members. NATSO strongly opposed this effort because it would impose costly burdens on many travel plaza operators, and increase the cost of fuel for all truckstops and their customers.

EPA's announcement marked a major victory for NATSO and a majority of the fuels sector, which for more than a year have fought against changing the point of obligation because it would discourage fuel marketers from integrating renewable fuels into the fuel supply while simultaneously raising prices at the pump.

“Because of her first-hand experience with the RFS, Sen. Ernst worked hard to make sure this did not happen. Her effort was successful,” Moon Meier wrote.

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman develops and executes communications strategies to advance NATSO’s public relations and advocacy goals. Tiffany also develops and oversees partnerships related to the NATSO Foundation’s public outreach initiatives. Tiffany lives in the D.C. metro area with her husband and their two sons.More